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[Broken]

I don't hold much stock in Youngs opinion given his background with a Shanahan, but we agree there is concern.

I was hoping Griffin would be all that, and more, despite believing that quarterbacks that rely on their athletic mobility have to have a lot of things go right. You see it time after time that when things don't the drop off is often very steep.

Despite that, the biggest concern is what Gruden said. Forget his injury history, the line or what, but it appears that, even after 3 years in the NFL system, the basic QB fundamentals are all wrong.
"He took three-step drops when he should have taken five. He took a one-step drop when he should have taken three."

When the play is sent in he should know how many steps he should take as everything falls in to place depending on that (blocking and pass routes), by not doing that you've set yourself up to fail before you've even begun. Not surprising that the offense looked better with McCoy and even Cousins who seem more proficient in the QB basics. Very frustrating.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Could Gruden be one and done in Washington?
Posted by Mike Florio on November 20, 2014, 8:39 AM EST

Getty Images
The ongoing dysfunction in D.C. (dysfunction completely unrelated to the government, surprisingly) seems to be getting worse, not better. From Robert Griffin III’s way-too-smiley Bill Belichick homage to coach Jay Gruden acknowledging he went too far by calling out his quarterback for calling out teammates and for playing poorly, the stuff playing out in the public eye suggests that plenty of fireworks are flying behind the scenes.

The biggest question percolating behind the scenes relates to the future status of Griffin, and Gruden.

As to Griffin, it’s becoming more clear that the franchise will be inclined not to pick up the fifth-year option on its erstwhile franchise quarterback. Based on current cap numbers, the team would be committing $18.4 million to Griffin for 2016. Currently, he’s not anywhere close to being an $18.4 million quarterback.

But with Washington already on the hook for $3.2 million in fully guaranteed base salary for 2015 under the final year of his rookie contract, it won’t be a surprise if Griffin remains on the roster — just as Jake Locker did in Tennessee and Christian Ponder did in Minnesota after their respective fifth-year options weren’t exercised earlier this year. A trade is possible, but a release makes a lot less sense, given that Griffin will be paid next year whether he’s on the team or not.

As to the coach, a one-and-done arrangement would seem stunning on the surface. But it would be the fourth straight year and the fifth time in six seasons that an NFL coach loses his job after one year.

In 2013, the Browns gave Rob Chudzinski the heave-ho after one year. In 2012, the Jaguars fired Mike Mularkey after one season. In 2011, the Raiders ran off Hue Jackson following one season as the non-interim coach. The Seahawks fired Jim Mora after the 2009 season, his only year as head coach.

It also happened to former Dolphins coach Cam Cameron in 2007.

Other one-and-out coaches since 1980 include Art Shell (Raiders, 2006), Al Groh (Jets, 2000), Ray Rhodes (Green Bay, 1999), Joe Bugel (Raiders, 1997), Pete Carroll (Jets, 1994), Richie Petitbon (Washington, 1993), Rod Rust (Patriots, 1990), and Les Steckel (Vikings, 1984).

And it has happened in Washington under owner Daniel Snyder. In 2001, Snyder gave the keys to Marty Schottenheimer. After only one season, Snyder kicked Schottenheimer out of the front seat. And out of the car.

With the franchise no better, and arguably even worse, than it was in 2013 under Mike Shanahan and in light of the glaring disconnect between Griffin and Gruden, Snyder could decide to extend the streak of NFL coaches fired after one year to four years.

 

[raven echo]

Surely they hold onto Griffin and try and sort through his issues as a QB?

 

[Exe Gesis]

The Regression of RG3 (Greg Cossell)

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-s...w--robert-griffin-iii-s-issues-214738329.html

--------

Whoa, he takes it to another level. He ended up throwing the ball short to option 5 after taking too long due to bailing out of pocket. Can't be more open than this.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Chris Cooley’s breakdown of RG3’s tape shows bigger issues
Posted by Darin Gantt on November 26, 2014, 11:15 AM EST

AP
While the benching of Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III is news this week, it’s clear that we should have all seen it coming.

If you need any further evidence, take a look back at the scathing critique of RG3 by former tight end Chris Cooley last week.

During his radio show on the Dan Snyder-owned ESPN 980, Cooley (who has also been an outspoken advocate on nickname issues on behalf of the team) spent 24 minutes breaking down the Xs and Os after studying the film of their loss to the Buccaneers.

And the way he picked apart Griffin made it clear that there were problems, problems which were acted upon by coach Jay Gruden.

Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post transcribed the bulk of it, and offers visual evidence to confirm the particulars, but it’s clear the pressure for yesterday’s move was mounting.

“I can’t grade the pass game. Our quarterback does not allow a proper grading of the pass game, because there was something I’ve never seen go on on a football field before,” Cooley said. “There was a game plan initially installed, which was not run or operated in any way shape or form the way it should have been. There was a quarterback not reading the field when he should have been, there was a quarterback scrambling when he [shouldn’t have been]….

“You can’t grade anyone else around Robert because of the way Robert played.”

Cooley went chapter-and-verse through the problems Griffin had, and it was a football criticism more than the more parenthetical media/social media/personality issues that have been at play. At the end of the monologue, Cooley made it clear what other team employees were thinking as well.

“My ultimate evaluation is: he is gun-shy in the pocket,” Cooley said. “He is so so concerned about anyone putting a hand on him in the pocket, . . . he doesn’t feel what’s going on around him, he doesn’t see what’s going on down the field. He’s not capable of moving and scrambling to make a good throw, he’s inaccurate when he’s on the move, and he’s really inefficient.

“And as a player, if I were on that team — and I will promise you, all the players would feel this way, because I would feel this way, and you’re wrong to not feel this way — he will not allow you to get better as a player, the way he played in this one week.”

Again, this was a week ago, and from a guy who is personally invested in the team. And it sounds like Gruden came to the same conclusion this week, and made the ultimate change.

 

[Chadwiko]

Easily the best Redskins article ever to feature in the prestigious Washington post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...e-for-tickets-to-see-his-first-redskins-game/

 

[Exe Gesis]

Report: Snyder, Allen may side with RG3 and fire Gruden
Posted by Michael David Smith on December 6, 2014, 5:17 PM EST

AP

If Jay Gruden really is done with quarterback Robert Griffin III, does that mean Griffin’s days in Washington are numbered?

Not necessarily. The other option is that Gruden’s days in Washington are numbered.

And according to Jason Reid of the Washington Post, that’s a possibility. In the latest of what is becoming an all-too-frequent stream of quotes from unnamed sources, a team official tells Reid that Gruden could be “one and done,” a team official said, meaning Gruden could be fired even though he’s just wrapping up the first year of his five-year contract.

The issue is that while Gruden appears to have concluded that Griffin isn’t the right person to be the franchise quarterback, owner Dan Snyder and G.M. Bruce Allen may not be on board with that conclusion. And if Snyder and Allen ultimately decide that they want Griffin to be their quarterback, while Gruden is adamant that he can’t win with Griffin, Snyder and Allen may decide to move on.

It wouldn’t be the first time a coach is one-and-done on Snyder’s team. Snyder fired Marty Schottenheimer after just one season in 2001. That precipitated the hiring of Steve Spurrier. It remains to be seen which coach Snyder thinks could turn his team around this time.

 

[Exe Gesis]

TMZ jumps aboard the anti-RG3 bandwagon
Posted by Michael David Smith on December 6, 2014, 12:33 PM EST

Getty Images
The hits keep coming from all quarters for embattled Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III.

Stories citing unnamed sources questioning Griffin’s ability and work ethic have become so commonplace that even TMZ has jumped into the mix, with a story quoting an unnamed player on the team ripping into Griffin.

“No one is happy . . . no one gets the hype around him anymore. . . . I don’t see him being in the NFL for that long. . . . I think he goes into politics. He’s good at that kinda thing,” the player tells TMZ.

It’s surprising to see TMZ report on this kind of story because when TMZ covers the NFL, it’s usually breaking stories about players’ lives away from the game, be it in the Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson legal cases or stories about players’ personal lives. It’s unusual to see TMZ report on a player’s popularity within his own locker room.

As Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post notes, however, one particular Washington player seems to have a relationship with TMZ: DeSean Jackson, who talks to TMZ about everything from his side business breeding dogs to how much money he spends on jewelry.

The TMZ headline also refers to the unnamed player bad-mouthing Griffin as a “star.” There aren’t many stars on the roster in Washington (some would say there aren’t any stars on the roster in Washington), but Jackson is about the closest thing the team has to a star. And one TMZ quote in particular, in which the unnamed teammate says he’s frustrated with Griffin because “We don’t have that real rapport,” sounds like the kind of thing a receiver would say about a quarterback. Jackson’s stats this season have been better when Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy are throwing to him than when Griffin is throwing to him.

We don’t know and may never know who the player talking to TMZ about Griffin is, but just as Steve Young’s criticisms of Griffin seemed to be coming from Mike Shanahan, it doesn’t require a huge leap to infer that TMZ’s criticisms of Griffin may be coming from Jackson.

In any event, this surely won’t be the last time we see a story in which unnamed sources in Washington bad-mouth Griffin. It’s open season on RG3.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Fran Tarkenton rips Robert Griffin III: 'He will never make it'

By Josh Katzowitz | NFL Writer
December 5, 2014 6:02 pm ET

Fran Tarkenton doesn't mind speaking his mind. (USATSI)

If Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton doesn't think much of your abilities as an NFL quarterback, he has no problem speaking his mind.

A.J. McCarron knows all about this. As does Tim Tebow and, yep, Brett Favre. And so does Robert Griffin III and Mike Shanahan, especially after Tarkenton went negative after the Redskins lost their 2012 playoff game to the Seahawks.

Now, during an interview with theMMQB.com's Jenny Vrentas, Tarkenton took another crack at Griffin, who's lost his starting Redskins job to Colt McCoy and who very well could be off the team before 2015.

Tarketon says he proclaimed two years ago that Griffin wouldn't make it, and one big reason why is because of the quarterback's attitude.

"He came into the league with an arrogance," Tarkenton said. "He goes into Washington, which is the worst place for him to go. They have been so hungry for a quarterback and for winning. They worshipped him. Here's RG3; he's our savior, he's our guy. His father gets involved and is in the locker room -- I have never seen a father in a locker room on Sundays. The owner, Dan Snyder, adopts him and becomes his best friend. So RG3, at 21, 22, thought he was Jesus, right? And he was making pontifical statements about how he approached the game. I was listening to him the offseason after his rookie year, which was not a bad year, and I'm saying, 'Holy s---, this guy is out of control with his ego.' That was the first sign you saw that he lacked leadership."

So, um, wow. What else you got?

"He was so into himself," Tarkenton said. "You know a quarterback's job? Make his teammates better. It's not about you; it's about your teammates. You've got to make them better, and if you don't make them better, you have no chance. And he was all about RG3. I sympathize with Jay Gruden. Gruden came out and pointed out, which is right, that he has no mechanics. He is a terrible passer, has no accuracy, he doesn't understand the offense, he doesn't read defenses, and he has no discipline. When he is supposed to take a 3-yard drop, he takes a 1-yard drop; if he is supposed to take a 5-yard drop, it's a 3-yard drop. There's no discipline and understanding of the defense because he is a pontificator. He will never make it. He will be out of football. He will be in the same graveyard as JaMarcus Russell and Vince Young."

As for the league's rookie quarterbacks, here's a quick synopsis of Tarkenton's thoughts.

Johnny Manziel: He's needs to prove he can be the right kind of locker room leader.

Teddy Bridgewater: It's unclear. He hasn't played great, but he hasn't played terribly.

Blake Bortles: "The jury is still out."

Derek Carr: "The jury is still out."

So, he doesn't really like anybody, huh?

"That's not a negative when I say the jury's still out," Tarkenton said. "In many [other] cases, after we see them play, the jury says 'no.' In these cases, I don't think the jury says 'no' on any of these quarterbacks, but they haven't played well enough to say 'yes,' either."

 

[royals1922]

Just on RG3, there has been more than a little examination recently of the trade to get RG3.

This article ( note the date) is typical of the stuff of the theme now becoming all too common:

The Final Tally On The Robert Griffin III Trade Is In, And It's A Disaster For Washington
TONY MANFRED MAY 9 2014, 11:52 PM

The St. Louis Rams picked Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson with the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft.

With that selection, all the picks that St. Louis got from Washington in the 2012 Robert Griffin III trade have been exhausted.

The finally tally on the trade is in, in other words, and it’s ugly for Washington.

St. Louis received four draft picks in the trade (three 1st-round picks and one 2nd-round pick). They converted those picks, through a bunch of additional trades, into a remarkable eight players, including five top-50 picks.

The flowchart of how St. Louis used the picks from the trade is incredible (click to enlarge):




So the trade for RG3 has lead to some success for St Louis. If he goes for not much, the Redskins will have lost mightily.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Gruden’s words on Griffin are starting to get overblown
Posted by Mike Florio on December 16, 2014, 5:52 PM EST

Getty Images
It’s become a sport of sorts for Washington coach Jay Gruden to talk publicly about the flaws in quarterback Robert Griffin III’s game. And it’s become a sport of sorts for the media to shine a light on the things Gruden is saying, apparently in the hopes of creating the impression of dysfunction in the building and/or a Costanza-style effort by Gruden to get fired.

While Gruden has indeed been pointed and harsh about Griffin in the past, the coach’s comments from Tuesday have unfairly been twisted by some in the media.

For example, Gruden’s Tuesday press availability included a comment about Griffin that caught plenty of attention on Twitter. The tweet sounded a lot worse than the transcript revealed it to be.

From Mike Jones of the Washington Post, via Twitter: “Gruden says it’s important to get a lead so griffin doesn’t have to do a lot of dropback passing and defense reading.”

Here’s what Gruden actually said, via the transcript provided by the team and in response to a question about Griffin’s development and whether Griffin has begun to “get it” in recent weeks: “We hope so. That just comes with repetition. You look around the league at some of the successful guys. I was looking at Eli Manning – I think he’s on his 195th career start and Peyton [Manning] is on 200. Drew Brees is on 200. He’s on what, 15 or 16? So, it’s going to come with time, man. This position is very difficult, especially when you’re learning new concepts with a new system. It takes time. So, it’s important for us to try and have some success on first and second down so we don’t have to dropback and throw it 30 times a game and have a lead so we don’t have to worry about it. But, eventually, like I said, when you get behind, you get in third down, you get behind the chains, those have to be accomplished — the dropback reads and progressions have to be accomplished and that’s something we’re fighting through right now.”

Slightly different, to say the least.

Jones also tweeted that Gruden said “it’ll take time for Griffin to become more savvy.” I can’t find that comment or anything close to it in the transcript. It would have been better for Jones to simply pass along direct quotes. Then again, the direct quote from Gruden that Jones posted on Twitter wasn’t an exact quote.

The tweet from Jones, quoting Gruden on Griffin: “I don’t expect perfection from him but I just need to see some progress from him.”

The actual quote from the transcript: “But, he’s taken this game, taken this game plan and these plays and has a better understanding and a little bit more confidence, but I don’t expect perfection from him, but we want to see improvement from a weekly basis.”

(It’s not a huge discrepancy, but there’s a not-so-subtle difference between the words “need” and “want.” Besides, if there’s any discrepancy, it’s not really a quote — so quotation marks shouldn’t be used.)

Gruden also was asked about his prior comments regarding Griffin, something that didn’t blow up Twitter.

“It was coaching out loud,” Gruden said. “The whole thing came up when it came out that he was ‘criticizing his teammates’ or what have you, and I just wanted to make sure that he was worried about his own game. There’s some things that he can clean up and I can clean up, and everybody just needs to clean up. That comes with coaching. I need to coach him to clean up his fundamentals. I need to coach our left tackle to clean up his fundamentals, our middle linebacker, our safety. . . . It’s just fundamental football that everybody needs to clean up on a weekly basis, and we’ll never stop coaching fundamentals.”

In fairness to Jones, he has written a story that contains some of Gruden’s full quotes, but Jones linked it on Twitter with a lamentation that “[e]verybody [is] blowing up a 140-character condensed Gruden on RGIII statement.”

That’s not the fault of the audience. The tweeter selects the 140 characters. If the message can’t properly be conveyed in 140 characters or less, then it shouldn’t be.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Gruden, Griffin will indeed be back
Posted by Mike Florio on December 21, 2014, 8:36 AM EST

Getty Images
When Washington coach Jay Gruden benched quarterback Robert Griffin III more than three weeks ago, the initial impression was that Gruden wanted to bench Griffin for good. The truth, however, was that Gruden hoped to build Griffin up by tearing him down, ending the coddling and ultimately building a better team around him.

Reports emerging locally from D.C. painted a far different picture, with Gruden wanting to get rid of Griffin. Coupled with the franchise’s silence on the matter, the issue took on a life of its own, with every word from Gruden scrutinized and, recently, unfairly twisted.

In the aftermath of Saturday’s back-to-the-future-style win over the Eagles, the local reports are dramatically different. Jason Reid of the Washington Post, who wrote 17 days ago that “Gruden is now done with [Griffin], according to people within the organization,” leads his column with this admission: “Jay Gruden and Robert Griffin III are expected to return next season.”

Yes, they are. It’s not a recent development; the organization has been on the same page throughout this process. The franchise hopes to make Griffin into a franchise quarterback by: (1) making him better; and (2) putting better players around him in the offseason.

So, despite all the reports suggesting the end was coming for Griffin, the Post finally realizes he’s not going anywhere. He never was.

“Let’s finish this season out on a high note against Dallas when they come here,” Gruden told reporters after Saturday’s win. “Then after the season we will make all the necessary adjustments. It’s a great opportunity for Robert to reestablish himself as the leader of this football team – hoping he does it.”

There’s nothing to twist in that or anything else Gruden said Saturday. The team and the coach are sticking with Griffin at least for 2015.

Which means that the only remaining question is whether they pick up his eight-figure option for 2016 by May 3. If the goal is to support him, they either need to exercise the option or extend his contract.

 

[Broken]

There is as many 1st round misses at QB as there are 1st round hits, but we just can't seem to get it right

Just think we won 3 Superbowls with a 6th round pick (Rypien), another teams 4th rounder/ via the CFL (Theismann) and admittedly another teams 1st rounder (with a bad record)/via the USFL (Williams).

 

[Exe Gesis]

RG3 took sacks last season at a historic rate
Posted by Michael David Smith on January 2, 2015, 9:20 AM EST

AP
Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III took sacks during the 2014 season like no other quarterback in the 21st Century.

Griffin was sacked 33 times last year while throwing only 214 passes. How rare is that? Not since Hugh Millen of the 1992 Patriots has a quarterback been sacked so many times while throwing so few passes.

The NFL started counting quarterbacks’ times sacked as an official statistic in 1963, and in the 52 seasons since then, only six quarterbacks have been sacked as many as 33 times while throwing as few as 214 passes: Griffin, Millen, Randall Cunningham in his first season, Mike Rae of the horrendous expansion Buccaneers, Bobby Douglass of the 1969 Bears, and Archie Manning — who did it twice while playing behind the awful New Orleans Saints line of the 1970s.

It would be tempting to blame the offensive line any time a quarterback gets sacked that often, but in Griffin’s case it would be incorrect. Washington’s other two quarterbacks, Colt McCoy and Kirk Cousins, weren’t sacked as often as Griffin. McCoy was sacked 17 times while throwing 128 passes, and Cousins was sacked eight times while throwing 208 passes.

No, the problem with Griffin is that he isn’t good enough at getting rid of the ball when he’s under pressure. Griffin has been sacked at least 30 times in all three of his NFL seasons despite never throwing more than 456 passes in a year. (For comparison with a passer who’s good at getting rid of the ball, Peyton Manning has never been sacked 30 times in any of his 16 seasons despite always throwing at least 453 passes.)

As a rookie, the 30 sacks Griffin took just seemed like part of the cost of doing business for a quarterback who was so good at making plays with his legs that he ran for 815 yards. But this year, when Griffin took 33 sacks despite rushing for only 176 yards, it seems like he’s still trying to rely on his legs to get him out of trouble — but his legs aren’t getting the job done anymore. RG3’s sack rate is another reason to think that building him into a franchise quarterback is going to be a difficult, and maybe even impossible, job.

 

[Broken]

I've lost faith in RG3, he looked very gun-shy behind center, never planting his feet or setting correctly. At best he seemed panicked. Despite all that we finished 4th in completion percentage and yards gained per attempt. There are promising signs, let's hope a solid pre-season can turn things around.

 

[Chadwiko]

Scot McCloughan is a fantastic step in the right direction for a front office that has been tremendously poor for over a decade.

 

[Broken]

Signing is official. Press conference tomorrow morning.

Redskins Name Scot McCloughan General Manager

The Washington Redskins announced today that they have named Scot McCloughan as General Manager.

McCloughan joins the Redskins with more than 20 seasons of NFL experience as an executive or scout. Teams featuring McCloughan’s acquisitions during his tenures with the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks have accounted for each of the last five NFC West titles and have represented the NFC in each of the last two Super Bowls.

McCloughan was named as the Seahawks’ Senior Personnel Executive in 2010, a role that assisted the general manager in all aspects of building the roster. McCloughan departed to start his own business – Instinctive Scouting, LLC – prior to the 2014 NFL Draft.
McCloughan previously spent five seasons with the 49ers, serving as Vice President of Football Operations from 2005-07 and being named General Manager in 2008 before resigning following the 2009 season. While with the 49ers, McCloughan orchestrated successful drafts that included Pro Bowlers Dashon Goldson, Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, Joe Staley and Patrick Willis, helping establish the core of the roster that helped the 49ers to an NFC-best 36 wins and three consecutive NFC Championship berths across the 2011-13 seasons.

Prior to his time with the 49ers, McCloughan spent five seasons as the Seahawks’ Director of College Scouting from 2000-04. His efforts helped the Seahawks win the NFC Championship in 2005 and earn a berth in Super Bowl XL in Detroit.

Draft picks selected during McCloughan’s tenures in various roles with the 49ers and Seahawks from 2000-09, including guard Steve Hutchinson and linebacker Patrick Willis, have accounted for 35 Pro Bowl selections and 12 first-team All-Pro honors. McCloughan also contributed to the 2011-13 drafts as the Seahawks’ Senior Personnel Executive, drafts that included two-time All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman and two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson.

McCloughan worked in the Green Bay Packers’ scouting department as a regional scout from 1994-99. During his tenure in Green Bay, he was part of two Packers’ Super Bowl teams, including the 1996 Super Bowl XXXI championship squad.

McCloughan comes from a football pedigree. His father, Kent, was selected by the Redskins in the third round of the 1965 NFL Draft as part of a Washington draft class that included franchise legends Chris Hanburger and Jerry Smith. Kent went on to play six seasons with the Oakland Raiders (1965-70), earning Pro Bowl selections and first-team All Pro honors following both the 1966 and 1967 seasons. After his playing career, he was a member of the Raiders’ scouting staff for more than 30 years.

Scot’s brother, David, played 48 career NFL games with three starts as a safety for the Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks from 1991-94. He is currently a scout with the Raiders.

Before entering the NFL, McCloughan played minor league baseball for three years in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, including spending part of two seasons with the Hagerstown Suns. He had a successful collegiate career at Wichita State, where he contributed in two collegiate World Series as a designated hitter and third baseman.

SCOT McCLOUGHAN FOOTBALL TIMELINE:
2015-Present: General Manager, Washington Redskins
2014: Founder, Instinctive Scouting, LLC
2010-13: Senior Personnel Executive, Seattle Seahawks
2008-09: General Manager, San Francisco 49ers
2005-07: Vice President of Player Personnel, San Francisco 49ers
2000-04: Director of College Scouting, Seattle Seahawks
1994-99: Scout, Green Bay Packers

 

[Broken]

Roy Helu just signed a 2 year $4 million contract with the Raiders. He was a nice change of pace back and receiving option for us. I hope he does well with the Raiders.

 

[Chadwiko]

Quoting my own Twitter, but...

 

[Broken]

At times I wished he had stepped it up a bit, but I didn't mind him while he was there. But we need to shore up that depth behind Alfred.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Ryan Clark says it’s clear RG3 is not Jay Gruden’s guy
Posted by Michael David Smith on March 12, 2015, 8:05 AM EDT

AP
Jay Gruden has said that Robert Griffin III will be Washington’s starting quarterback this season. But a player who was at the practices and in the team meetings last year is not so sure Gruden and Griffin can coexist.

Ryan Clark, who played all 16 games in Washington last season but retired this year to take a TV job, said on ESPN that he could see from inside the building that Gruden wasn’t high on Griffin. Clark noted that Gruden would openly acknowledge Griffin’s mistakes, and Clark says Gruden only proclaimed Griffin the starter this year because he wanted to eliminate the distraction of a quarterback controversy, not because he’s really sold on Griffin.

“Jay Gruden, as you saw from last year — the media reports where he would say RG3 took a five-step drop where he was supposed to take three, or he looked the wrong way this many times in a game — he showed the world that it wasn’t his guy,” Clark said. “He comes out early in the offseason and says, ‘You know what? Robert Griffin III is our quarterback.’ I think that was to kind of try to show there’s no issues in house, but there clearly is. He’s not his guy. They want to go in a different direction.”

Clark believes the speculation that Washington might draft quarterback Marcus Mariota with the fifth overall pick will cause some problems for the team.

“To hear this early that at No. 5 if Marcus Mariota is there — it has to be disheartening to RG3. And even if they don’t draft Marcus Mariota, it could create a problem in the locker room,” Clark said.

In Clark’s opinion, Gruden was too stubborn to make changes to his offense to make the most of Griffin’s skill set.

“When you give up what you gave to get RG3 at the No. 2 pick you make things work for him, you don’t make him change his game to fit what you want to do. And I think that’s where Jay Gruden went wrong last year,” Clark said.

If Clark is right, then Griffin may no longer be Washington’s starting quarterback when the season starts. No matter how much Gruden says otherwise.

 

[Chadwiko]

McCloughan is quietly building an absolutely fantastic roster with these moves.

Paea and Knighton are solid DL starters.
Culliver and JJ are damn good additions to the secondary.

Bring on the draft!

 

[ChockNurris]

Trade you Sanchez for RG3 and a 3rd rounder

 

[Exe Gesis]

Name debate could be a factor in next Washington stadium
Posted by Mike Florio on April 11, 2015, 7:35 PM EDT

Getty Images
Two weeks ago, I visited FedEx Field for the first time, for the soccer match between Messi-less Argentina and national anthem-less El Salvador. The building looks and feels far older and broken down than its opening date of 1997 would suggest.

So it’s not surprising that Washington owner Daniel Snyder wants a new stadium before the 12 remaining years on the FedEx Field lease expires. Virginia and Maryland (current site of the venue) want to host the new stadium, but the team apparently prefers to return to D.C., at the place where RFK Stadium currently sits.

As explained by John Woodrow Cox and Jonathan O’Connell of the Washington Post, the powers-that-be in Washington may insist on a name change if the new stadium is built at the site of RFK Stadium. In Virginia and Maryland, the name of the franchise wouldn’t be an issue.

In the end, the decision may hinge on whether Snyder prefers the name or the location. Although external attacks on the name have cooled in recent months, the passage of time will likely increase the pressure to change. If change is inevitable, the smart play would be to trade the name for whatever consideration and compensation Snyder could get in connection with building a new stadium at the site of the franchise’s iconic venue, which hosted teams that won three Super Bowls from 1982 through 1991.

 

[Chadwiko]

There's a theory going around Redskins circles, one that I think holds a lot of truth, that the main reason the D.C council is pushing back against a potential Redskins move back into the city because they don't want to pony up any cash for stadium redevelopment, and that opposing the name is an easy way to do so without looking feckless.